Torpedo-snare.



A. M. LANE.

TORPEDO SNARE.

APPLICATION nuzn AUG.20. 1917.

1 ,272,680. Patented July 16, 1918.

a. 4 4 f g '9 course.

ALFRED MQLANE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TORZEEDO-SNARE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Application filed. August 20, 1917. Serial No. 187,049.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED M. LANE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement, in Torpedo-Snares, of which'the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for snaring torpedoes, or deflecting them from their course after being launched.

The principal object of the invention is to lessenthe danger to shipping dueito torpedo attacks. A further object is to provide a device small and-compact enough to permit of a number of them being carried on the deck of a ship, and which can be readily cast in front of an approaching torpedo.

The invention consists of a missile provided with a net float, said float being adapted to be carried on the deck of a ship. and cast in front of an approaching torpedo in position to snare it or deflect it from its The invention further consists in the parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanaying drawings, which form part of this specification, like'numerals refer to like parts wherever they occur.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a torpedo snare embodying my invention, the'lower portion of the net being broken away to economize space, V w Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1; I 1 L T i Fig. 3 is a'vertical cross-section on the line 33 in Fig. 1; and c Fig. 4: is an end view of the lower portion of the netshowing the anchor or drag.

The body portion of the device shown in the drawings comprises a float 'or closed chamber 4: which is preferably triangular shaped in cross-section. The front wall 5 of the float is substantially perpendicular to the base 6 and curves forwardly and inwardly from each end toward its middle portion, forming a nose portion 7. The front wall is highest at the nose and decreases in height toward its ends. An outwardly projectingflange 8 extends around the top margin of the float; and a plate 9 is riveted or otherwise secured to said flange. This plate inclines downwardly from the front and projects rearwardly of the float tinguished, disclosing its course,

or chamber 4. Said plate thus constitutes the top of the float and a deflector or guiding member, as hereinafter described.

An angle iron 10 is riveted to the under sides of the float i and extends the full leingth of the float. A wire net 11 is secured to the depending leg of said angle iron and extends about the full length of the float. -Attached to the bottom edge of the net 11 is a drag 12 which consists preferably of a curved plate 18 which has a second curved plate 1A riveted to its front face. These curved plates 13 and 14 extend the full width of the net 11. The inclined plate 9 overhangs the rear portion of the float 4 and tends to force the float in a downwardv direction when a torpedo strikes the net, while the drag attached to the bottom of the net acts as an anchor. In such case the resistance of .the water against the curved plates of the drag results in the downward movement of the float due to its downwardly inclined top portion. The inclined plate overhangs the front portion of the float at each side of the nose portion forming wings and tends to give the device a gliding ac ion when hurled through the air. The nose shaped front face and the wings of the float act as guiding means and tend to overcome any deviation of the device from its course when hurled through the air. Thisiarrangement positions the net transversely of the course ofthe device during its flight, resulting in the device always alighting with its net across the path of the approaching torpedo. The net acts as a drag or anchor and prevents the turning or twisting of the device, after striking the water; I

Torpedoes-are discharged from a distance of five hundred (500) yards or upward, and

the wake of an approaching torpedo can be seen at a considerable distance. When the wake of an approaching torpedo is disthe device is cast from the deck of the ship with any suitable device, such as a catapult or spring board (not shown) so as to alight in the path of the approaching torpedo. The float has just about enough buoyancy to support the wire net which is suspended from its bottomv and hangs down in the water. When the torpedo strikes the net, it tends to force the snare in the direction of its travel. In this retrograde movement of the snare, the resistance of the wateuagainst the inclined top plate of the floatand the curved plates of the drag tends to force the float farther and farther down below the surface of the water. 7

The foregoing arrangement is considered only as an example; therefore, I do not Wish to be limited to the exact construction shown.

I claim the following as my invention:

1. A torpedo snare adapted to be launched through the air comprising a net, a float for supporting said net, and guiding means adapted to position the net transversely of its line of flight.

2. A torpedo snare adapted to be launched through the air comprising a net, a float supporting said net, said float having a nose formed in its front face, and being provided with wings projecting from said face, said face and wings forming guiding means to support the net at right'ang'les to its course of flight.

3. A missile torpedo snare comprisin a buoyant body portion, said body portiondmeing triangular in cross-section, the inclined top portion sloping downwardly from its front portion and continuing for some distance past the bodyportion, a nose, formed in the front wall ofthe float, the inclined top portion of the float overhanging said nose portion and forming wings, and a net suspended from the base of the float.

4. A missile torpedo snare comprising a body portion elongated sidewise and adapted to float on the surface of the water and having its top surface inclined downwardly from its front to its rear, a net suspended from said body portion, whereby when a torpedo engages the net its continued travel will cause it ,to be deflected from its course.

5. A missile torpedo snare comprising a buoyant body portion having'a front face tapering symmetrically from each end to its medial line, a flange projecting downwardly and outwardly from the rear portion of said body portion, wings projecting from the front face of the body portion, "and a net suspended from said body portion, whereby when the net ise'ngag'ed ,by the torpedo further travel ofsaid torpedo will cause the float to travel downwardly.

6. A missile torpedo snare comprising a buoyant body portion, the top surface of said body portion being inclined downwardly so as to meet the bottom of the body portion at its rear edge, the front wall of said body portion being curved forwardly from each side and meeting at the middle line, wings extending from the front wall of the body portion, a net suspended from the said body portion, and a downwardly inclined portion extending from the rear of the body portion, whereby when the net is engaged by a moving torpedo, said flange retards the progress of the torpedo and causes the float to move in a downwardly inclined direction. i

7. A missile torpedo snare comprising an elongated float, a net suspended from said float lengthwise thereof,-and"a curved plate secured along the lower edge of said not and constituting a drag to pull the float downwardly when the net is struck by a torpedo.

8. A missile torpedo snare comprisingan elongated float, a net suspended lengthwise of said float, and a drag secured along the lower edge of said net, said drag being shaped to offer little resistance to'movement crosswise of the float in one direction but to offer considerable resistance to movement in the opposite direction, and the float being provided with a cover portion inclining downwardly in said last mentioned .direotion.

9. A missile torpedo snare comprising a buoyant body portion, said body portion being triangular in cross-section, the inclined top portion sloping downwardly from its front portion and continuing for some distance past the body portion, a nose formed in the front wall of the float, the inclined top portion of the float overhanging said nose portion and forming wings, a net suspended from said float, and a drag. secured tothe lower edge of said'net.

Signed'at St. Louis, Missouri, this 15th day of August, 1917.

ALFRED M. LANE.

' Qop'ies of this p atentmay be obtained for -five cents wonky-addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, I G. i c 

